Canaan

Canaan
(Kay´nuhn, kay´nuh-nits)

The ancient name of a territory and its inhabitants that included parts of what is now Israel (with occupied territories) and Lebanon. In the Bible, Canaan is the son of Ham and the grandson of Noah. He is first encountered in the story of Noah’s drunkenness (Gen 9:18-27). Canaan next appears in the Table of Nations (Gen 10:6; Gen 15-20:6) as brother of Put (Libya), Cush (Ethiopia), and Egypt. The boundaries of Canaan are given as follows: from Sidon to Gerar near Gaza, and eastward as far as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim to Lasha (Gen 10:19). Israel loathed much that was associated with Canaanite religion and regarded Canaanite ways as abominable. Biblical literature urges the eradication of Canaanite religion together with the Canaanite people (Deut 20:16-18). In (Matt 15:22), Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman.

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